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Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s start to life as Chelsea manager has been somewhat of a mixed bag with the Blues lying 10th after 12 games of the Premier League season.<\/p>\n
A recent 4-1 win at title-chasing Tottenham and draws against Arsenal and Manchester City suggest the Blues are beginning to turn a corner after taking only five points from their first six league games.<\/p>\n
Here, the PA news agency breaks down Chelsea\u2019s season so far under Pochettino.<\/p>\n
Chelsea\u2019s unbeaten pre-season form did not translate to the Premier League where they struggled to pick up points in the early stages. An opening day 1-1 draw to Liverpool was followed by a 3-1 defeat at West Ham before the Blues went winless in their next three against Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Aston Villa. The 1-0 defeat at home to Villa saw Pochettino call for his players to \u201cgrow up\u201d after the Blues\u2019 stuttering start saw the pressure mount on their Argentinian manager.<\/p>\n
All of Chelsea\u2019s 12 summer signings are aged 25 and under as chairman Todd Boehly looked to recruit youth as a solution to last season\u2019s poor performances, which led to a dismal 12th-place finish in the Premier League. The upheaval to the squad in the summer led to the Blues\u2019 early teething problems as Pochettino juggled formations and XIs in a bid to find his preferred personnel.<\/p>\n
Cole Palmer has been a mainstay in Chelsea\u2019s XI since his September transfer from Manchester City. The winger, who has also featured as an attacking midfielder, cost a reported \u00a342.5 million and has scored four times from the spot against Burnley, Arsenal Spurs and a last-minute equaliser in Sunday\u2019s 4-4 draw against his old club City. Palmer\u2019s creativity has helped Nicolas Jackson unlock his goalscoring touch, with the Senegal striker netting four times in his last two appearances.<\/p>\n
The west London club have picked up six points in four games against the so-called \u2018big six\u2019, which is an improvement on the four points they managed across the whole of last season against their rivals. Although Chelsea have had success against high-pressing opposition, they still need to find solutions to combat low blocks after their recent 2-0 defeat to Brentford at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n